Post Processing Framework

Module Objectives
At the completion of this module you
should be able to:
Describe action processing
Configure actions
Run action monitor

Presentation

[Actions]: Agenda

Business Scenario
Intoduction
Examples of actions
Process flow
CRM components that use actions
Features of Actions
Post Processing framework
Process Flow
Processing/Planning/Starting/Monitoring actions
Schedule and Start conditions
Action Processing types
Action Monitor
SAP Business Workflow

Presentation

Business Scenario
You want to configure your business
transactions such that under
predefined cases, there are
automatic follow on activities that
happen. This could be in the form of
a follow0up action or issuing forms,
sending emails etc.

Presentation

Introduction
You can schedule and start predefined processes with the Actions
component by means of user-definable conditions from
transaction documents and marketing objects.
You can tailor the type and time of actions to the requirements of
your customers and the processes in your company. This
component thereby offers you the possibility to adjust your
service and sales and distribution management and your
campaign management even more closely to customer needs,
and simultaneously, to automate them.
The Actions component also provides the technique of controlling
output. It thereby replaces Output Determination of the SAP R/3
System.
Actions in CRM use the Basis Post Processing Framework (PPF)
component as the uniform interface for different processing
methods.

Presentation

Examples of Actions

Revising Quotations :Two weeks after a quotation has been created, the
system generates an activity for the responsible sales employee so that
he/ she calls to remind the customer of the quotation and to answer any
questions which may have arisen.
Quotation for a new contract: Four weeks before a contract expires, or,
when 80% of the value of a value contract has been reached, the customer
automatically receives a quotation for a new contract with the same
conditions as for the current product.
Cancellation Notification :The sales manager is automatically notified by
email if a contract with a value of 1 million Euro or more is cancelled.
Credit Memos: Credit memos are automatically created, and, without
checking, for complaints with a value of less than 10 Euro.
Escalation Management: A customer with a maintenance contract is called
back according to the reaction times agreed upon, when he sends a
problem message.
Marketing Planner: You can send a reminder or information e-mail to all
stakeholders (business partners) involved in the marketing project and
assigned to the specific partner function category.

Presentation

Features of Actions
With actions you can
create follow-up documents automatically
execute changes in the document or marketing object
currently being processed,
output in print, by faxing or email

The system processes the actions automatically. You can

however also schedule and start actions manually.
You can use the attributes of the transaction type used
in the business object as conditions.
You can create time-dependent conditions using the
dates and date rules from the appropriate date profile.
You can also define partner-dependent actions, for
example, to send a reminder e-mail to the employee
responsible.

Presentation

The Post Processing Framework PPF

The Post Processing Framework (PPF) is an SAP basic technology that is

used in CRM for the scheduling and processing of actions and outputs with
an application document.
The PPF provides the following functions:

Technology for determination of actions and messages

Technology for merging actions found
Media for processing actions
User interface for the Customizing of action templates including determination
and merge technologies and also processing media
User interface for the Customizing of conditions, incase the determination using
conditions is used

Actions are displayed in CRM together with the application documents that
support actions. By using the tab page Actions in an application document,
you can display a list, which contains the actions that were scheduled for
the application document.
You can display the determination log for an action in the list. You can also
display the processing log for a processed action.

Presentation

Process flow of action in transaction

Transaction type

Item category

Action Profile
Action

Start condition

Schedule
condition

Processing time

Fulfilled

Schedule
automatically
No

Yes

active
Action list
inactive
F4(manually)
Toolbar
(manually)

Presentation

Immediately
Fulfilled
When saving
Selection report

Processing Medium
Smart form
Workflow
methods
9

Processing of Actions
The processing of actions can be
structured in three segments:
Planning Actions
Starting Actions
Monitoring Actions

Presentation

10

Planning Actions
The system uses the action profile assigned to the
transaction type to check which actions are possible for the
transaction. The system checks if the schedule conditions are
fulfilled, and for which actions.
The following takes place when the schedule conditions are
fulfilled:
The system enters actions with the indicator Schedule
Automatically into the action list in the transaction document or
marketing object. They are active.
You can manually add (schedule) other actions from the profile.
They appear in the input help in the action list. They are inactive.
You can schedule actions with the indicator Display in Toolbar using
the application toolbar of the document. They are also inactive.
It is only possible to start scheduled actions.

Presentation

11

Starting Actions
When the start conditions are fulfilled, or if no start
conditions have been defined, the system triggers the action
at the processing time defined in Customizing.
The following possibilities are available for starting:
starting automatically -The system triggers the action automatically
when the start condition for a scheduled action is fulfilled.
starting manually via the action list: You have to have selected the
indicator Execute in Dialog in the action definition for this function.
starting manually via the application toolbar for sales transactions,
and via the Object Services toolbar for marketing objects

When starting the action the system uses the processing

medium (method or Smart Form or workflow) preset in
Customizing.

Presentation

12

Monitoring Actions
On the Actions tab page in the transaction
document, you can continually monitor which
actions are planned or have already been
started and executed.
You can change condition and processing
parameters for start conditions in the action list
for actions which have been flagged in
Customizing as Changeable in Dialog .
You can monitor and start actions of several
transaction documents or marketing objects
using the action monitor.

Presentation

13

Processing Time
The processing of an action can take place at different times.
You can define when the started action should be processed,
that means when the system should actually execute this
action, for example, when the system should create a followon document or print output.
The following possibilities are available in CRM for the time
an action is processed:
Immediate processing- the action is started as soon as the start
condition is fulfilled.
Processing when saving the document. - the action is started when
the document is saved.
Processing using the Selection Report (Action Monitor) the action is
started after the execution of a selection report, if the start
condition has been fulfilled.

Presentation

14

Conditions for Scheduling and

Starting Actions
In CRM, you can make the schedule
and start of actions depend on
conditions. Actions
can only be
Attribute
from
Attribute from
Transaction
Business the
Objectschedule
scheduled
when
Date profile
type
Repository
condition has been fulfilled
and
Date:
Phase start
Net value/Phase
Opportunity
Duration:
Phase duration
started, and when the start
condition
has been fulfilled.
Date: Planned date
Contact person
Activity
Quotation

Probability

Presentation

Date: Valid to
Rule: Valid from + 2 weeks
15

Determining Conditions
You have two possibilities when creating action
definitions:
You use the wizard under Basic Functions Actions
Create Actions with Wizard
You use the basic transaction under Basic Functions
Actions Change Actions and Conditions Define
Action Profile and Actions.

Calling condition definitions

Select Basic Functions Actions Change Actions and
Conditions Define Conditions in Customizing for
Customer Relationship Management or Basic Functions
Actions Actions in Marketing Planner Change
Actions and Conditions Define Conditions

Presentation

16

Different Action Processing

Types
The system uses different processing types of the PPF during processing.
There are various processing types for actions:
Methods (Business Add-Ins)

SAP Business Workflow

This is suitable for simpler processes, such as follow-up documents or creating

positions, for example calling a customer when you have received a cancellation.
Templates are delivered for defining methods. You can use these to create as
many follow-up transactions as your require, and to define your own methods.
The copy control is used when processing methods.
This is suitable for more complex processes, for example, a follow-up document
that includes an approval process.

Smart Forms

Use this for printing, faxing or emailing documents. There is further information
on output determination in CRM under output determination.

Presentation

17

Smart Forms
SAP Smart Forms provide a graphical user interface that
helps you create and maintain the layout and the form
logic of a form: the SAP Form Builder. You dont require
any programming or scripting knowledge.
When creating a form, you must:
Retrieve the application data
Describe your form
Pass the application data to the form

When you request a printout of a form, the application

program obtains the relevant data to be used and prints
it on the form.
Data retrieval and form logic are separated from one
another.

Presentation

18

Action Monitor

19

You can monitor and trigger the processing of actions for several documents
and marketing objects using the action monitor.
If you regularly schedule the program as a background job, the system can
automatically start certain actions, whose start conditions have been fulfilled,
at a particular time.

SAP Business Workflow

You use SAP Business Workflow (WebFlow Engine) to
define business processes that are not yet mapped in the
SAP System.
Business Workflow is particularly suitable for situations in
which work processes have to be run through repeatedly,
or situations in which the business process requires the
involvement of a large number of agents in a specific
sequence
Business Workflow uses the existing transactions and
functions of the SAP System and does not change the
functions.
You can combine the existing functions of the SAP System
to form new business processes with Business Workflow

Presentation

20